Carpet-fastening



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID B. COFFIN, JR., OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARPET-FASTENING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,488, dated June 9, 1857.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID N. B. COFFIN, J r., of Newton, in the count-y of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Fastening for Carpets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked therein. l

Description of gurcs.-Figi1rel, contains 2 side and 1 end View of the fastening, shown also in section and of like form in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 1l. Fig. 2, contains 2 side and l end view of the same with this difference, that the head is formed by a loop of the end of the wire on which the screw is formed, this can be driven by a forked, instead of a common, screwdriver, one prong entering the loop, while the other bears against the shank at its junction with the head. Fig. 3, shows one view of another form of the head, the same being made of a suitable curve and pointed, so that after being turned in the direction indicated by the arrow to the position shown in'Fig. 3 it may be turned back slightly so that the point will hook into the carpet, as shown in Fig. 4, which contains an end and sectional side view of the same. Fig. 5, contains 2 side and l end view in which the head is shown nof still another shape. Fig. 6, is an end view and side view of the same, but showing curved ribs, grooves, or corrugations on the under side of the head which when it is screwed down perpendicularly to the floor tend to draw the carpet toward the shank of the screw instead of crowding it out as it might in such a case without them. The screw is also shown double threaded. Fig. 7, is a sectional view and shows the fastening applied where there is neither threshold or base board, upon the plane floor. Fig. 8, is a sectional view and shows the fastenings applied on each side of a threshold. Fig. 9, shows the same screwed into the base board, it also shows the edge of the carpet folded over a wire of wood, ratan, metal or other suitable material. When used with the wire a less number of the fastenings will be required. It is well to fold the edge of the carpet whether the wire is used or not. Fig. 10, shows the fastening applied at the junction of the Hoor and base board, the edge of the carpet being folded over a wire. Fig. l1, shows it applied at the juncture of the fioor and base board without the wire or the folded edge. Fig. 12, is a perspective view of the corner of a room the carpet being represented as fitted down with these fastenings, the fastenings being ap- ;plied neither to the base board'nor to the floor but in the angle between the two. The `edge of the carpet is supposed to be folded under, but without any wire.

Like letters indicate the same or a similar part in all the figures.v

The fastening` is marked a, and its head b. The carpet is marked 0. The floor d. The base board is marked e. The threshold f. The common method of fastening carpets to floors as is well known is by nailing the edges. This method has many defects. First when a carpet has to be stretched as in the case of all new carpets great inconvenience arises from the fact that both hands of the operator must be employed at the Sametime in nailing, one in holding the nail the other the hammer. My

`screw fastening may be screwed in to within a part of a revolution, then the carpet being drawn up, one hand is at liberty to hold it, while the other only is required with the screwdriver, to give the remaining part of a turn, which securely fastens it at that point. Again without going over all the annoyances from the use of nails or tacks, which will readily suggest themselves to the practical,

I will notice first the taking up of the car- `pet. This is done usually once or twice a year for cleaning, then the tacks must be drawn, and many of them being rusted in are broken off, leaving the fracture sticking up to annoy one in replacing the carpet. In drawing the nails it is quite impossible to avoid injuring the carpet. But the diiiiculty of getting the nails out and the time consumed injury or no injury, is quite annoying at least, to say nothing of the bruising of the base boards consequent upon the nailing and unnailing operations, which many would give five times the probable cost of these fastenings to avoid, provided they could get the article which would be as simple of application as the tacks. I hold that these fastenings are more simple, for any one can make a hole with an awl and turn a gimlet pointed screw into it with a corner of a room, or the angle of the stairs, with a hammer, would find no difficulty in using the screws.

In applying my fastenings a person may if he chooses @o around the room with an awl and make holes as often as he wishes to apply the fastcnings, say from six to 16 inches apart according to circumstances, then go again and enter the screws to within a part of a revolution of the limit, with the screw-driver, or he may screw them in, as he goes around with the awl, then he has only to spread down his carpet and with one hand adjust its edge, while with the other and the screwdriver he turns down the eccentric heads of the screw fastenings and his carpet is fast. Now when he wishes to take it up again he can go around the room almost as fast as if walking, turning up the,

eccentric heads, and his carpet is loose again, and if he wishes to vacate the room he can turn the screws all out in a movement more. And when handling them he is not sticking Sharp peints in his fingers as when handling tacks. I am aware that various devices purporting to have some of these advantages have been invented. But their cost, and more particularly their lack of great simplicity of application, and to some extent their inefficiency, prevent their general adoption. Mine I believe will be admitted to be a much simpler fastening and better adapted to universal application than any of the various devices which have been invented to take the place of the common carpet nails. rlhose who will rather pay 25 cents for that which will last a lifetime and. aiford a very great convenience, than 6g; cents every time a carpet is taken up and put down, with continual vexation and annoyance, will probably buy and use this fastening in preference to common tacks, and in preference to other fastenings now known on accountof its cheapness and simplicity of application. It is equally applicable to the angle of stairs for securing stair carpets, the angle between the floor and base board, the base board itself, or the plane floor, or angle of the threshold as has been shown. These screws when made with gimlet points, can be readily applied by one a little skilled in the business without the use of the awl even,

as they will readily enter the soft wood that stairs, floors, and base boards are usually made of. The shape and finish of the heads can be varied, and they can be made small, so as to suit the most diiiicult so-far as looks and neatness go. Of course the heads can be adapted to other means for turning them in than the common screw-driver, as a forked, or square socket, key. But I consider the common screw-driver quite as well, because most people having one at hand will be saved the expense of buying. Something like the form of head, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, will probably give as good satisfaction as any. The wire folded 1n the edge of the carpet will not often be used though in some cases it will be very useful. VIt will be noticed that after turning in the screws ready for the heads to be turned down when the edge of the carpet has been adjusted, that in turning them down they are moving also in the line of their axes, and the direction of their points, thus drawing the carpet toward the I claim a screw having a head arranged at one side ofvits axis, so that it may be applied and operated substantially as set forth, or so that the screwsmay require a turn of only a partof a revolution to secure, or to release the carpet after being screwed into their places. And whereby it is made practicable to take up a carpet'and replace it in a very short space of time and with great ease. In other words, I claim the eccentric headed screws for securing carpets to floors and for similar purposes.

DAVID N. B. COFFIN, JR. l/Vitnesses:

H. P. HAUSEN, BENJAMIN RoAoH. 

